The Secret Story
by Chiyo M. Matsuko
Summary: An interesting story about a girl who travels to Eiyo and becomes Hotohori's best friend... starts PG13 but can be R in some places....
1. In which my Mother sends me to Eiyo to l...

** Note: Most of these characters don't belong to me: I'm sure you all know the ones who belong to Yu Watase  
So I won;t list them *all* here. Miyoko is mine, Tadashi is Miri's... any other random little characters are more than likely  
mine as well.  
Enjoy!  
  
  
  
CHAPTER One: In which my Mother sends me away from Tir Hoki to live in the Konan Empire with insufferable relatives. Damn!  
  
  
  
I sat numbly in the cart. Staring straight and unblinkingly ahead, even though the dust from the road was stinging my eyes more than my tears.  
For as long as I can remember, I have lived in a small house in a relatively nice part of our empire, in a city called Tir Hoki. We lived on a winding country road just outside the city. My mother was a silk dyer by trade, and we also spun and wove silk as a side job. I was the spinner and weaver, mother was the dyer and sometimes seamstress. We were not well off, but we were not in the gutter, either. I was used to it, it was life. I loved it.  
So why had mother sent me away? I knew she was a little ill….I didn't believe one word about all that 'fine education' crap. What was I going to do with a Konanese education in Tir Hoki?  
I sighed, still remembering the day my life took an unexpected, and in my mind, illegal U-turn.  
My best friend Tadashi and his mother lived next door to me and my mother. Tashi was a temple guardian and was away from time to time, and his mother...well, I didn't know much about Mother Suki's past, and I didn't ask. It wasn't important.   
That was our whole neighborhood, just our two little families. We were closer than family. In my youth, I vaguely remember living in town, in a fancy house, with a large store filled top to bottom with good smelling things and beautiful objects, and with Father, too; but that was all long ago, before father died.  
My life was ordinary, average, boring. I liked it that way. I would never leave my mother in our little house, with our little business. I was happy.  
In my thirteenth year, all that suddenly changed.   
Tadashi and I were returning from one of our little gallivants into town(a usual thing). We were looking over our newly purchased pyrotechnic items: gunpowder and dyes specially mixed for fireworks.  
Tashi was slightly older than I, and definitely taller. We had similar interests, such as sword play, hand-to-hand combat, dagger throwing, and mild interests in magick. Our newest craze was fireworks, ever since we had seen them in a recent procession to the temple. We had just rounded the corner onto our street when I beheld an unusual sight. Mother Suki was standing before my cottage, crying as she shut the door. I felt frightened, and a chill ran up my spine. Where was Mother? Something had gone terribly, terribly wrong. I gasped.  
"Mother!" I whispered, dropping my bag. I ran to my cottage.  
"Miyoko!" Tashi cried from behind me, picking up my bag and running after me.  
I tried to open the cottage door, but Mother Suki caught me before I could.  
"What is it?" I cried.  
"Where's Mother? What's happened?"  
"Shh, Miyoko," Mother Suki tried to hush me gently.  
"Mother!" I screamed as Mother Suki had to drag me to her and Tashi's cottage.  
"Miyoko, listen to me," she said calmly, even though her eyes were still red from crying.  
"Your mother has made arrangements for you to stay with relatives. She's been meaning to do it for a while now. She wants you to have a taste of better things, and get a good education, too,"  
I wasn't stupid. Something had to have happened to Mother to make her send me away like this! When had this happened? She had been a little tired lately, and pale….Oh, Gods no! This wasn't happening!  
"I want to see her!" was my reply.  
"No, Miyoko, but she gave me this to give you, with her love, and her promise to send for you to come home soon," Mother Suki added, trying desperately to comfort me. I would not be comforted.  
She handed me my mother's gold comb, Mother's most prized possession. My father had given it to her when they had first married, long before I was born. My mother was an older woman, and sometimes I thought she was too old to birth a child now my age, but I never asked questions. I was wanted and loved and that was all that mattered.   
"I'm going to see my mother!" I stated determinedly. I would not sway.  
"Miyoko, what's wrong?" Tashi asked, coming breathlessly into the door and glaring at me.  
"I'm leaving," I whispered unhappily. "Mother's sending me away,"  
"What? Why? Where? And why can't she just stay with us?" He demanded, looking at his mother and back to me, his annoyed feelings obviously gone.  
"Miyoko's mother has made arrangements for her to live with relatives of her father's in Eiyo,"  
"EIYO!" Tashi and I cried at once.  
"But that's all the way in Konan! I won't go. You can't make me! I won't, I won't, I WON'T!" I cried. I didn't care if I wasn't acting thirteen. I was scared and angry. Why would Mother send me away? WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON HERE!?  
"Miyoko," Mother Suki pleaded.  
"Please, go, your mother wishes it," she begged.  
"Only if you let me see her," I replied quickly.  
Either I saw my mother and got my answers, or I stayed with Mother Suki and Tashi.  
She sighed.  
"I can't. I promised,"  
"Then I won't go," was my stubborn reply.  
Mother Suki looked to Tashi for help, but I could tell he stood by me.  
She sighed again.  
"Miyoko, you can't stay with us. I simply can't afford it. I'm barely getting by with only Tadashi and myself," she admitted, her eyes filling with tears.  
"I can work for my stay! I have the weaving, and the spinning, and the washing!" I insisted.  
"I would help her!" Tashi added.  
We gave her our 'puppy-eyed' faces.  
"Please?" I pleaded.  
"I can't go against your mother's wishes, Miyoko,"  
"I won't go! There is nothing wrong with my education," I insisted, setting my jaw.  
"You'll have to drag me by my hair, kicking and screaming, all the way to Eiyo. Not even the Emperor of Tir Hoki and the Gods themselves can make me leave here willingly," I announced, crossing my arms defensively over my chest.  
"Oh, Miyoko," was her only reply.  
"You leave in three days,"  
"I will not,"  
"You WILL!" she yelled, the first and only time she had ever raised her voice to me.  
Mother Suki was scared!  
I stared at her in shock. Tashi stared at her in shock.. The dog in the corner got up and left. The birds in the tree outside the window flew away. There was silence.  
"Fine," I whispered sulkily.  
And with that I ran out of the house.  
  
  
  
  
  
It was time to leave. My three days at home were over. I was dressed in the very best clothing I owned, a long, peacock blue gown with silver and red embroidery of nightingales. I wore silver slippers on my feet, and Mother Suki had done my hair up in the fanciest style. She told me she knew how to do this, because she had once been a priestess at the Temple of the God before Tadashi was born. She tucked a white water lily in my hair. I thought I looked absolutely ridiculous. Why was I all dressed up like a courtier or something? This was pure insanity. But I had to go. Now I sat in one of my and Mother's favorite spots, a small clump of bamboo trees near a small brook. All my belongings were in a parcel at my feet. I was crying hysterically.  
"Miyoko?"  
It was Tashi.  
I didn't want to talk, even to him.  
"Go away, Tashi, please. I want to be alone,"  
"I know. I'm sorry. But you have family waiting for you in Konan,"  
Oh, why was Mother sending me away? And why wouldn't she let me see her?  
"I don't want to go to Konan. If they are the relatives I think they are, they don't like me and the feeling is very mutual,"  
Tashi shifted uncomfortably.  
"Oh,"  
I sighed.  
"Is it time to go?" I asked him.  
He nodded and looked away. I was going to miss my friend so much. Tashi was the brother I'd always wanted, and he treated me like a kid sister. I didn't remember my father, and Tashi had always filled that role for me. It would be so hard to leave him and Mother Suki, and my own mother most of all.  
I stood and walked with him back to our little village. I clung to my parcel with one hand and Mother's comb with the other.  
"I'm leaving, too," he said suddenly, staring straight ahead.  
"What? Oh, Tashi, where?" I cried. This was too much.  
"I'm going going on a journey with the other guardians from the temple. I'm leaving soon. I've known for a while now. I wasn't going to tell you until later, though,"  
"Our poor Mothers! They'll be all alone, soon!" I cried, my eyes filling with tears.  
"I know. I hate it,"  
I was silent for a moment.  
"Do you think Mother is terribly ill?"  
"I don't know,"  
My eyes filled with tears anew. My entire little family was falling apart. Mother was sending me away, Tashi was going with the other guardians, I was going to Konan…purely against my will, I might add…  
By the time we reached our homes, a cart and escort was waiting to take me to the sea side, where I would catch a boat over a small channel to the rest of Tir Hoki, and from there my escorts and I would continue on the way to Konan, and eventually to Eiyo and the Loki family, Nagumo and Sasiko and their children.  
If you were to drop someone on a horse and point them in the right direction, you could get to Konan in just under a week and a half. If you traveled the "proper" way, the way I was going, you could be traveling anywhere from four weeks to two months.  
I didn't want to go! I didn't want to be in some cart for two months!  
I hugged Mother Suki good-bye.  
"Oh, Miyoko," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.  
"You are like my own little daughter. I hate to see you leave,"  
"Goodbye, Mother Suki,"  
"Goodbye, Little Girl,"  
Then I turned to Tadashi.  
My closest friend, the one I had forced to play with dolls with me, the one I had laughed and cried with, the one I had raised hell and single handedly destroyed small farms with….  
What was I going to do without my Tashi?  
We stared at each other for a moment or two before I wrapped my arms around him in a goodbye hug.  
I don't think he knew what to do.  
After a few tense moments on his part, he hugged me back. I was crying again.  
"Goodbye, Tashi-chan. I'll write as often as I can," I whispered in his ear.  
"Goodbye, Little Girl," he whispered back.   
Then he kissed my cheek and lifted me onto the cart, then he handed me my parcel.  
I didn't want them to forget me. I was so afraid that they would. What was I doing? I should jump out of this cart right now, demanding…demanding what?  
As an after thought, I reached into my parcel and tossed my most prized possession to them. Her name was Lian, and she was my favorite doll. I was too old for dolls, I had outgrown them when I was about four, but I had kept Lian as a momento of childhood.  
Tashi picked her up out of the dust and stared for a moment, before looking back at me.  
I couldn't wave goodbye. All I could do was stare as we pulled away from my family and my home. I tried to memorize every aspect of the two little cottages as the cart took me away. I tried to take every detail of Tashi and Mother Suki into my heart before they were gone. Gods, I wanted to say goodbye to my mother! I wanted to see her so much!   
Tashi turned and stomped angrily into his cottage, slamming the door behind him, but Mother Suki just stood there until she shrank into a tiny dot in the distance. I don't know if she even left then.  
Then I turned and faced the road before me, and promised myself I would never look back, and I would return as soon as Mother called for me, if ever. I didn't care if I had to walk.  
And that brings me to the point I was at now….  
  
  
Z  
  
  
By the time I reached Eiyo, I was tired, hungry and really pissed off. It had been almost a month since I had left Tir Hoki, and my loved ones. I believe this was the incident that instilled my deep hatred and over all dislike of travel forever more.  
The sight of my Aunt waiting impatiently for me did not improve my mood, nor the fact the the rest of the family stood behind her.  
My escorts lifted me off the cart and set me and my belongings before my relatives.  
"Loki Keisha?" My Aunt asked doubtfully, looking down at me.  
The use of my given name stopped me for a moment. I was always just Miyoko.  
Aunt Sasiko was tall, thin and mousy. Her lips were drawn into a very small, thin line and she had a permanent frown.  
Oh, how I pitied my father's brother for marrying this old shrew.  
"Speak up, girl!"  
"Yes, I am Loki Keisha," I responded as politely as I possibly could, considering the circumstances.  
She frowned.  
"Oh. Well, you're a disappointing piece of goods, I had planned to marry you off,"  
"EXCUSE ME!?" My mind screamed.  
What kind of sick woman married off her thirteen year old niece? What kind of people lived here in Konan? Dear Gods! I was surrounded by perverts and lunatics!  
I couldn't stand the sight of the old bat anymore, so I turned my gaze to my uncle, who was as short as I was, and didn't look as if he had a clue in the world.  
My escorts took this as a sign to leave, so they did.  
"Well, come in anyways. I'll figure out something to get you out of my house,"  
I scowled.  
This was going to be a long visit.  
  
  
Z  
  
  
I had only been at my relative's residence for three days when my Aunt had her wonderful idea.  
Now, let me explain the Hell that was the Loki Household.  
The house itself wasn't bad at all, it was large and the fanciest I'd ever been around in my short thirteen years(this would change later, but I'll get to that in a moment).  
I loved the servants. They were kind, they were fun, and they were smart. They put up with my family only because they had no choice. There hadn't been a governess in the house for three years. That should've been my first clue.  
The family in question was made up of Uncle Nagumo, Aunt Sasiko, Dariko, the eldest cousin and the biggest brat(Unfortunatly named after my father, who was probably rolling in his grave), Young Nagumo, who took after his mother in looks and his father in intelligence, Shasiki, the younger brother, who wasn't half bad if you could get him away from Dariko and Nagumo for a few minutes, and Arishiko, who was only two and would be a baby doll until she hit about four, and then, who knew.  
After only one day, I had a perpetual headache. I wanted to go home more than ever, and expressed that point vividly in the twelve letters I had sent home since my arrival at my relatives. We were at dinner when Aunt Sasiko broke the news.  
"Well, Miyoko, your extremely beautiful and intelligent cousin, Dariko, and I, have come up with a way to get your awful country influence out of the house!"  
Dariko beamed. I continued eating my rice. Thank the Gods! Anything was better than this!  
"We're going to sell you to the slavers!" Dariko announced joyfully, proving her more stupid than I had originally thought.  
Fine! Anything, even hard labor, was better than eating one more meal with her!  
"Now just hold on a minute, Sasiko!" my uncle boomed from his place.  
I almost choked. Uncle Nagumo hadn't said a word since I'd arrived. Everyone except Sasiko and Dariko sat up dead straight and stared straight ahead in pure shock, including Arishiko, bless her little baby heart.  
"Miyoko is the daughter of my favorite brother! No one will sell a member of the Loki family into slavery!"  
No, no, no! What was he doing? I felt my hopes sinking again. This was not good! At least as a slave I had the chance of escaping and going home again, and I knew for a fact Tashi would come and get me once I could get ahold of him.  
"Well, do you have a better idea, Nagumo?" My aunt asked acidly, unhappy that her wonderful plan would not go through. My uncle continued eating his meal as if this was the most ordinary thing in the world.  
"Let her stay," he replied as if it were the most unimportant descision he had ever made.  
"NO!" Cried Sasiko, Dariko, and myself all at once. My Uncle chuckled despite himself.  
"Well, she's smarter than I thought!" he said, pointing at me with his chop sticks.  
How old was I? Three? I stuffed some more rice in my mouth, glaring at him even though I knew he was trying to be nice. He was my father's brother, after all.  
"Fine. She's intelligent, has skills…she's not half bad looking, either…"  
I blushed from the tips of my ears down. This was just getting worse and worse and worse…..  
"Let's offer her to the Emperor as a serving maiden,"  
"Gods! Doesn't He have enough, already! The palace is crawling with them as it is!" Dariko cried, and I caught the suspision she wouldn't mind being among their numbers. I choked back a triumphant laugh.  
"He can always use one more," My uncle said determinedly, and all conversation stopped.   
And so it was set.  
I was going to the palace, to be presented to some old, crabby, spoiled Emperor of Konan, even though I couldn't be staying long enough to be useful in the least.  
Did I mention that I hated my relatives?  
  
  
  
Z  
  
It was the day I was to be presented to the Emperor, his birthday.   
It was also my birthday.   
There had been wild celebrations all day long, parades and processions and festivals. It had been something to see, alright, as my Uncle dragged my gawking form behind him to several shops where I was measured, fitted, poked, prodded and painted until I was dizzy. The effect was frightening as I stared into my Aunt's mirror with wide eyes and a doubting attitude. I looked like the dragons in the parade I had seen earlier!  
My face had been whited out to the color of snow, my lips were ruby red and my eyes were outlined and shaded dramatically with black. My cheeks had been shaded to a light pink. My Uncle said I had turned out better than expected and my cousin Shasiki said I was pretty enough to be the Emperor's bride, let alone his serving maid. This put more than a few worries in my mind and I found myself praying the Emperor was as good and kind and noble as young Nagumo and Shasiki assured me he was.  
My clothes were even worse. I was wearing at least four layers, mostly silk, and I mean, for the God's sakes, hadn't anyone ever told these people that silk slides on silk!?   
The outer robe was thick brocade, deep violet and embroidered with golden flowers of some sort, and a huge golden belt studded with semi-precious stones circled my waist to end in a ridiculous bow that made me feel as if my rear end was three miles long. A sheer golden layer had been the second beneath that, and showed by standing slightly ruffled above the collar of the brocaded disaster and by hanging frustratingly over my hands so that the sleeves trailed down halfway to my feet. How was I supposed to pick up anything, let alone serve someone? I hoped this would not become a daily attire. Next was a robe of light purple silk which served no purpose that I could see except to make it hard for me to breath under the weight of all of my clothing. I had been so nervous for the past two days I had barely been able to   
eat, and all this added to the impossible weight of everything was making me rather dizzy. The first layer was a simple cream dress of linen. This was the most practical peice of clothing on my person at the moment, and I found myself wishing I had only to wear that. My stockings and slippers were semi acceptable, except for the fact the stockings itched with all their embroidery and the slippers were made out of impossible silk and would be ruined the first time I walked anywhere in them, let alone around a palace all day.  
I could deal with my clothes just fine. I could even tolerate the whore-paint on my face. What was unforgivable was what they had done to my hair and ears.  
They peirced my ears.  
Worse yet, they put heavy gold earrings in them ,and I felt as if they were stretching all the way to my toes. However, even the extreme headache this was causing was nothing compared to the mess that had been inflicted upon my hair.  
In my mind, my hair was my one true claim to beauty, despite what others said about my appearance.  
It was the deepest black I had ever seen, thick and shiny and straight as an iced-over lake in January.  
It was long, reaching well past my knees, and always smooth. I usually wore it in one or two long braids down my back. If it was a really speical occasion, I wore it loose.  
They had massacred my hair. They had wanted to cut it, but I had pulled my dagger on the woman and that put and end to that. They had piled it all(and I mean all)on top of my head in a strange fashion I had never seen before, but left one braid trailing down my back. Red silk ribbons had been threaded through it all to end in a red bow on the bottom of the braid. I looked like a pagoda with a tail!  
Add to that multiple necklaces and other frivolous finery, including snow white flowers of some sort tipped in pure gold, and you had one completely ridiculous looking girl, who just happened to be me.  
I was furious.  
The only redeming quality, I felt as I tucked my fan somewhat awkwardly into the band around my chest I had refused to remove, was Mother's gold comb, which I had tucked somewhat prettily amongst my destroyed hair. I felt the prescense of my dagger and was slightly reasured. I didn't care who he was, if that ghastly Emperor tried anything with me, I'd cut his nose off!  
I tucked some handkerchiefs with my fan, and followed my relatives out to the carrige I was surprised we were taking. Everyone else in my family looked as ridiculous as I did, and I was sure once the Emperor got done laughing he would throw us in the dungeon forever for making fun of him, and then I'd have to spend all eternity with Aunt Sasiko and Cousin Dariko. Well, this was perfect.  
Just perfect.  



	2. In Which I do some (butt) kicking and ma...

Chapter Two: In which I do some ass-kicking and make a new friend  
  
  
Well, I'd finally ditched Aunt Sasiko and Uncle Nagumo, and the terror cousins from Hell. I wandered out into the gardens of the palace, shedding my useless and encumbersome articles of clothing here and there, until at last I was in what seemed to me to be a perfectly presentable and simple gown. An undergown, sure, but still perfectly decent. So why did I have to meet the Emperor anyways? Like he really wanted yet another maid flitting around. Was this what people in Konan who didn't want their girls did? Give them to the Emperor? All the more reason to go home as soon as Mother would let me! I was going home soon, so what did it matter? It's not like I had any plans of joining the court. Gods no! Not the court! ACK!  
"Stupid Emperor," I muttered. "Stupid Konan. Stupid Nagumo and Sasiko. Stupid palace."  
I tripped and fell into a nearby pond, dropping my armful of over expensive clothing.  
"STUPID POND!"  
I stood and found myself trying to tread very cold water. I brushed my hair out of my eyes and scowled. I gathered my now ruined silks and brocades, and as I climbed out of the pond, Mother's gold comb fell out of my hair and drifted to the murky bottom.  
"Oh no! No, no, no!" I cried, reaching down after it.  
I missed.  
"DAMN!"  
I was going to cry in about three seconds.  
I hated Konan, I hated the palace, I hated my relatives, I hated the Emperor, and most of all, I HATED THE MORON WHO PUT A POND AT THE END OF AN UNLIT PATH!  
I dropped my pile of destroyed apparel and stomped out of the pond, heading for a small lit doorway some forty yards off.  
I started crying about halfway there.  
I stomped into the dim hallway and slid down along the wall until I was sitting. I grabbed half of my sopping wet, tangled hair, all the fancy flowers and the elaborate style gone, and began haphazardly braiding.  
I wanted to go home. Tadashi and I never did get the chance to use our firework supplies.  
Tashi would be blowing up small huts by now, and I was missing all the fun!  
I was so completely wrapped up in my sulking that I never heard the quiet footsteps come up behind me. In fact I wasn't aware of another's residence in the hallway until I felt a cold, dripping wet hand come down on my shoulder.  
"Excuse me--" a voice started. It had a masculine tinge to it.  
"ARGH! PERVERT!" I cried, grabbing the hand of the person and flipping him over my head, slamming him into the floor before me. I jumped back as fast as a sitting form can and crouched, daring the guy to even so much as breathe.  
I crouched there tensly for a moment, unsure of what to do next.  
The guy lifted his arm, cursing, and I saw a glimmer of metal.  
I kicked out, sending the weapon skidding across the floor, and the guy crying out in pain. I brought my fists down hard on his face a few times, hooked my leg under him, and slammed him into the wall.  
"What the--" he started to say.  
I pulled my dagger out of my blouse and lept on top him, pinning the guy to the ground.  
"One false move, shitbag, and I slit your throat," I hissed, and for the first time, I got a really good look at my attacker.  
I found myself glaring fiercly at the face of a rather well dressed boy, who was probably about my age, maybe a little older. He was really, really, really gorgeous, and despite the thorough beating he had just indured, a stupid looking little boxy hat thing was clinging crookedly and stubbornly to his head. A few strands of long brown hair had escaped and hung limply near his face. I had just realized he was a soaking wet as I was, and a small trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. One beautiful brown eye was turning an ugly shade of purple, and his left cheek was puffing up a little. I was on top of one really beautiful male pervert! And an awfully young one, too.  
I blushed.  
"That was an interesting dagger trick you have there. Would you mind showing it to me again?"  
"SICKO!" I screamed, skewering his stupid little box-hat with said dagger.  
His good eye grew wide. The other was swollen pretty much shut.  
"I'm very sorry, I meant you no harm. Would you please let me up?"  
I greatfully slid off the guy, hiding my relief with an unlady-like scowl.  
"Ow," He moaned as he sat up. I noticed the sword lying next to him on the ground. He gingerly touched his swollen cheek with his fingertips and sighed.  
"Well, at least it's only a temporary misperfection. I shall mourn it until its passing,"  
I arched an eyebrow. Okay, so the guy thinks very highly of himself, and with good reason. That's not quite a reason to kill him and dump his rock-laden, mutilated body in that Gods forsaken pond...yet...  
I shuddered when I realized just how much like Tadashi I'd really become. Maybe Mother was right. Maybe I did need a little break form Tir Hoki. My scowl became fiercer.  
I watched the guy stand a little unstably, and limp over to where his weapon had flown. He was way over a foot taller than me. I scowled some more.  
"You lied! If you really meant me no harm, you wouldn't have pulled a knife on me!" I accused harshly and loudly, wishing my dagger wasn't pinning that awful hat to the tiled floor at the moment.  
He picked it up and turned.  
"Yep, I lied. How rude of me. But this is a very interesting knife anyways, isn't it?" He asked, holding out his hand. I saw a golden glitter.  
"Mother's comb!" I cried, forgetting to be defensive and grabbing it.  
"You saw me drop it into the pond, didn't you?And you went in that cold icky water just to get it back for me?"   
He respond was a simple nod. I felt my eyes filling with tears.  
"I saw you crying and figured it was important to you," he said quietly, rubbing a bruise on his arm.  
"Now don't cry, I shouldn't have come up on you like that," he said quickly, looking upset.  
"Oh, Gods, and I just beat you up after you were so nice! I'm so sorry!"  
I know there were times where I had been much more embarassed, but I couldn't think of any at the moment.  
"Here, let me clean your face up a little," I said quietly, ashamed. It was the least I could do for him.   
I took his hand as I pulled my dripping handkerchief out of my blouse, bidding him to sit down. He did, and I tried to clean his face as gently as possible.  
"What else do you keep in there?" he asked, flinching a little as I wiped at the two cuts on his face and wiped away the blood from his swelling lip.  
"The Emperor of Konan," I joked grimly.  
He gave me an odd look.  
"Alright, truthfully, I keep a fan, a few handkerchiefs, a money purse, and whatever else I need on a band around my chest, under my clothes,"  
I explained.  
"And the dagger? Does that go in your 'band' too?"  
I blushed again.  
"It's none of your buisness where that dagger is kept!"   
He smiled, then flinched.  
"You are a remarkably skilled young woman. What is you name and where did you learn to do that?"  
"Loki Keisha, daughter of the late Loki Dario and his wife, Loki Michi, of Tir Hoki. Most people call me Miyoko, though, and how else could I survive living around Tadashi?"  
"Can I call you Miyoko? And who's Tadashi?"  
"Please do, I won't answer to anything else, and Tashi wa--is my best friend at home in Tir Hoki,"  
We were quiet.  
"What's your name?" I asked.  
"I'm S-Hotohori,"  
I waited.  
"Just Sotohori? Are you a servant or something?"  
"Um, yes and no. I just live here from time to time, and it's Hotohori,"  
"Oh. A friend of Emperor Saihitei Seishuku?" I asked, feeling faint.   
"You could say that,"  
"Oh no! I'm going to be beheaded!" I moaned.  
Hotohori frowned.  
"Whatever for?"  
"My Aunt and Uncle brought me here to present me to the Emperor as a serving maid or something like that, their kind way of saying they don't want me!"  
Hotohori nodded.  
"I take it you and you relatives don't get along well?"  
"You could say that," I muttered.  
"Where is your mother?"  
"At home, in Tir Hoki,"  
"Why did she send you to be with them if they don't like you?"  
I paused.  
"I don't know. I think she may be ill," I said quietly.  
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry,"  
I bit my bottom lip.  
"I just hope that when she calls me home, the Emperor will let me go,"  
"He will, don't worry,"  
"How do you know?"  
"I just do,"  
"I'll bet he won't,"   
"I'll bet he will,"  
He laughed suddenly.  
"Fine, say that he will," I said, slightly annoyed.  
"If I'm right, and I don't get to go home soon, you, um...y-you have to refer to yourself in the--uh-- p-plural form forever more!"  
He laughed.  
"And if you do get to go home soon, you and your mother and Tadashi have to come back and stay with me in the palace!"  
"Fine!"  
"Fine!"  
We both started laughing.  
I took the handkerchief and dabbed at his face a little more.  
"I am sorry,"  
"As I said, It's only temporary, luckily for you,"  
Then Hotohori saw his ugly hat.  
"Oh dear. I was fond of this," he lamented, pulling the dagger out of the floor and retrieving his mauled box.  
"Why? It's as ugly as--"  
"MIYOKO! MIYOKO, WHERE ARE YOU?"  
I grimaced.  
"Oh no!"  
"What?" asked Hotohori, standing to join me in looking nervously out into the garden. Hotohori was so tall I barely cleared his elbow. I didn't really have time to sulk about this now, though.  
"Miyoko! It's time to go before Emperor Saihitei!"  
"Oh NO!" I cried, looking down at my muddy, dripping underdress and ratty, half-dried hair.  
"Maybe our bet won't stand after all,"  
"Why is that? And who is calling you?"  
"Because the Emperor will take one look at me and throw us all in the dungeon for playing such a mean trick on him! And that's Dariko,"  
"Loki Dariko?"  
"Yes," I moaned.  
"Oh, you poor girl. I have the misfortune of knowing her as well,"  
"Oh?"  
"MIYOKO!"  
"Ug. I have to go,"  
"Wait! I can see right through your dress! You can't go to court like that!"  
"I have no choice!" I exclaimed back, crossing my arms over my chest just in case he really could see through my clothing.  
"Loki Dariko! Tell you parents that Loki Miyoko is with me and will be presented before the Imperial Court shortly!" Hotohori called in a booming, official sounding voice.  
To my shock, snippy little Dariko stood stock still, bowed and ran back into the palace proper.  
"Whoa! I wish I could do that! How did you do that?!"  
Hotohori chuckled.  
"I do a pretty mean Saihitei Seishuku impersonation," he said, smiling a little.  
"You're good enough friends with an Emperor to be able to impersonate him and not get in trouble?"  
"Um...yes..."  
"WOW! THAT IS SO NEAT!" I cried, almost jumping up and down with delight. Maybe Hotohori could get me out of this! I sent up a silent prayer that maybe he could.  
"Yes...well...come on, we have to get you cleaned up before you are brought before the court,"  
We had walked into a small room where several serving maids stood around looking nervous.  
"Oh! Your --mrmpherpph!" A girl started, silenced as Hotohori put his hand over her mouth.  
"Dress her," Hotohori said off handedly.  
"Your face!" cried another one.  
"A mishap on the stairs, nothing more," Hothori said, and winked at me.  
They rushed into motion.  
"Umm...are these all girls like me?"  
"Yes,"  
"Why are there so many?"  
"His Majesty never turns a person like these girls away,"  
"Why?"  
"Where else would they go? Most of them are unwanted and would be put to death,"  
"I don't think I like Konan very much," I muttered.  
On of the maids near me looked from Hotohori to me, and then passed out.  
"Ummm...."  
"Someone take care of her," Hotohori said, looking concerned.  
Five girls rushed to their fallen contemporary.  
Something fishy was going on here.  
"Well, I must go. Someone will escort you to the Emperor in due time,"  
He turned and started to leave.  
"Wait! Hotohor-OW!" I cried as one of the girls dressing my hair tugged a little too hard.  
He was gone. Damn. It had almost felt like I had a friend there for a moment. Oh well.  
  
  
  
Z  
  
  
By the time I reached the throne room, I had been dressed, wrapped, combed, twisted, painted, powdered and adorned to a nearly royal perfection. I was tired and dizzy and wanted to go home more than ever. I was also aware of the fact that I hadn't eaten a thing in two days. So I was feeling rather weak as I faced the entrance to the throne room of doom. As I entered I heard titters of how beautiful I was, blah, blah, blah, and I got even more angry than before. Didn't these people know it wasn't me who was beautiful, it was the powder and paint and silk and jewelry? Was that all these people saw? I resisted the urge to scowl.  
Someone announced Uncle Nagumo and Aunt Saskio, and I was led to kneel stiffly before the Emperor and stare at the ground with closed eyes until he decided whether or not I could stay.  
Well, now I was dressed better than anyone in my family with me, dripping with gold and jade, dressed in blazing gold and scarlet, and my hair was done so elaboratly I could hardly keep balance, because let's face it, I have a lot of hair. Aunt Sasiko and Dariko looked really pissed. Before I knelt, I tucked Mother's comb into the pile of hair and flowers on my head, hoping that Hotohori was somewhere in the throne room, watching me. That thought was comforting.  
I heard the Emperor talking rather boredly to Uncle Nagumo.  
I wished it was really Hotohori up there doing an Emperor impersonation, and not the real Emperor. He was propbably some old, bald drooling toothless fogey with lots of money and a nice voi--  
"Pardon me, your Majesty, but what has happened to your face?"  
My eyes snapped open. I felt nautious suddenly.  
No, it couldn't be that Hotohori--no! That was insanity! I was hearing things!  
Wasn't I? Oh, please say I was hearing things!  
"Nothing to concern you, Lord Nagumo, I took a rather nasty fall down the steps in the garden. You niece helped me, as a matter of fact,"  
"WHAT?!" Aunt Sasiko cried. Now I was seriously ill. I bit my lip.  
I glanced up to the throne to see Hotohori settled comfortably, in flowing golden robes and a new ugly little box hat. His non-swollen eye smiled at me, but his face was stern.  
Oh, Gods help me! I beat up the Emperor! I gave a weak little cry of fear and then  
I passed out.  
I awoke to see two of Hotohori's distorted and concerned faces over me, as well as those of a few advisors and other members of the court. Eventually my vision was clear again, and Hotohori had me helped to a chair nearby. He commanded me to sit and then stood before his throne, even though everyone else in the room practically had their noses crushed into the ground.  
Aunt Saskio was screeching out things like: "Oh, don't help that wretch! Did she trip you, or push you?"  
"Hotohori!? You're the Emperor!? I beat up the Emperor? I beat up the Emperor!" I cried in a panicky whisper. No one paid any attention to me. They were all too busy counting the stitches in the rugs that their faces were pressed into, or so it seemed.  
"Yes. I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd treat me differently. I wanted to be your friend. I don't have many friends, you know," he whispered back. No one noticed that, either.  
"I knew she was an uncultured ruffian, Your Majesty! I should never have brought her to the palace! Your Majes-"  
"Lady Sasiko, stop your mindless babbling. I fell down the stairs leading to the garden. Lady Miyoko was in the garden, saw me fall, and assited me back to the palace.  
"Miyoko is no lady. Why did you fall, Your Majesty?" Dariko inquired sourly, as usual.  
"I was overcome by Lady Miyoko's overwhelming beauty. I could not stay on my feet. I had just come out the door when I saw her kneeling by the pond in a glow of moonlight. Crystal tears fell from her lovely eyes, her raven hair flowing with flowers to put even my gardens to shame, her rose lips so soft, her gentle hands reaching through the water to touch a lily...Why, she is almost as lovely as myself,"  
I choked back a howl of laughter. He was enjoying this way too much. The court advisors were looking at each other in confusion.  
"That plain old burlap bag of a girl? She's beautiful and my lovely Dariko is not? You notice a poor country cousin and not my flower of the court?" Aunt Sasiko cried angrily.  
"Lady Sasiko! I would trust you to speak of such other worldly beauty more gently!" Hotohori cried.   
I sqeaked and bit my lip. Unworldly beauty? Yeah, maybe if he was picturing himself...!  
My Aunt flushed crimson and muttered an apology.  
Dariko was furious and glared at me.  
I couldn't stand it anymore.  
I burst out laughing. He was so full of it! I couldn't believe the court was buying this! I laughed and laughed and laughed, until tears streamed down my face. After a long struggle Hotohori laughed with me, only a lot more quietly and trying to hide his face with his hand.   
He stuttered an apology to my relatives as he laughed. My stomach hurt horribly from laughing so hard. Me? Almost as beautiful as him? Uh huh. If anyone believed that one, I had a temple in Tir Hoki I'd gladly sell them! For free!  
The court was in an uproar. No one knew what to do. Dariko was bawling. My other cousins were laughing at her, Aunt Sasiko was yelling at Uncle Nagumo, who was yelling back. Little Arishiko ran up to me and crawled in my lap, sucking her fingers.  
Hotohori and I continued laughing. The advisors argued with each other, Lords rushed about and argued, and Ladies tittered and gasped behind their fans.  
In the midst of the melee, however, I saw a face that knocked the laughter right out of me. A tall, thin, pale man with straight, jet black hair and large, glowing black eyes stood in the shadows of a doorway and stared at me from behind a fan.   
As I stared at him, another pang of dizziness struck me.  
The man put me in mind of a poisonous viper: beautiful, yet deadly.  
I did not trust that man. Not one bit.  



	3. In Which Hotohori and I have some fun on...

Chapter Three: In which Hotohori and I have some fun on the town.....  
  
  
  
Somewhere in the cottage, Mother was beginning breakfast. I knew I should get out of bed and take care of the cow and feed the chickens, but I was just so tired, and my bed was so warm, and so soft, and so silky! I sighed, rolled over, and snuggled further into my pillows, drawing my blanket up to my chin and relishing in the warmth of the sunshine on my face.  
TAP!  
I frowned. What in the hell was that?   
TAP! TAP!  
I tried to sink further into my blankets and forget the world. I was, after all, still asleep. And I so hated to tend those awful, nasty chickens!  
This time there was a volley of taps followed by a shrill bird-like call.  
I frowned again and growled low in my throat. Fine. Just fine. I'll get up now...although I emphasize this is not a willing defeat.  
I cautiosly opened one eye and was mildly shocked to find myself staring at a long light purple curtain emboidered with red flowers, green vines and leaves, and white and gold peacocks.  
Peacocks? Maybe that's what that bird sound was. We didn't see too many peacocks around here, though. Maybe it was Tashi playing some bizarre trick on the dog again.  
TAP! TAP! TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP!  
I gritted my teeth, and prepared to wake and do battle with the chickens.  
I sighed, flipped back my covers, and thudded to the floor.  
I had already remade my bed, pulled on a robe and slippers, and was sitting at my dressing table brushing and braiding my hair when I realized it: There were no peacock curtains in my room!  
And I didn't have a dressing table!   
"ACK!" I cried before beating my head solidly on the table before me.  
"I will never get used to this infernal palace!"  
I realized the tapping had been a maidservant knocking on my door. I got up and finally answered it. She entered balancing a huge covered tray, which she set on the small carved table with the chair in the corner. Then she turned and bowed to me.  
"Did Lady Miyoko rest well?" she asked.  
"I'm not a lady," I murmured. I had been here four months now, and every morning it was the same thing.  
The little maid gave me a strange look, then went straight to the bed, and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw it was already made.  
"Forgive me, my Lady Miyoko, perhaps someone has already made your bed, Lady?" she practically whispered, trembling for some odd reason. I rolled my eyes. Since when did I need a maid anyways? I wasn't that messy!  
"No, it's wasn't someone else, it was me. It's called eleven years of habit. And I'm not a Lady!"  
The little maid shrugged good naturedly, not trembling anymore. (Maybe she had been cold...?)  
"Also, Lady Miyoko, his Majesty the Emperor's personal attendant gave me this with orders from his Majesty to deliver it to you," she said, bowing again and holding out a small peice of folded paper with a red string around it.  
"Cut it out! I'm not a lady! And thank you," I said somewhat harshly, adding the 'thank you' as an after thought.  
The maid bowed again, clucking in her usual 'That's what you think' manner.  
"Um, you can go now. Thank you," I said.  
The girl bowed about forty times on her way out the door.  
"Yes, Lady Miyoko. Have a good day, Lady, and if you have need of me, you have only to call,"  
I was about to correct her on my station again, but...oh well. I give up.  
"Fine. A good day to you, too,"  
She finally left. Uh huh.  
You'd think after four months in a palace I'd have figured it out by now. But I refused to get used to it. I'd be going home soon. News was rare from home. I treasured the few letters that made it my way from Mother Suki. Every one could hold the news I was dying to hear.  
Soon, I knew, even though the letters said nothing of my return.  
I shook my head and sat down at the table, wolfed down my breakfast of rice, tea, some sort of soup and a spicy dumpling-like object with meat in it that I sniffed, pushed around my tray, and finally just sort of pushed off to the side and hid under my soup dish. I replaced the cover to the tray and decided I'd figure out later what to do with it today.  
I then sighed and turned to look at myself in the mirror.  
I was gonna have to do something semi-elaborate with my hair, here.   
Let me explain the mess I'd been gotten into.  
His Majesty has found a new friend. Sure, she's only the daughter of a poor widowed woman who weaves and dyes silk cloth for a living, and sure, she knows nothing about palace etiquette and has spent most of her life feeding chickens first thing in the morning, and oh yeah, she comes from a different empire, but, a friend she is none the less, and should be treated as one. And treat me as a friend he did. A very good friend. Every now and then I found myself wondering if the Emperor was "all there," if you get my meaning....  
Well, his majesty didn't want his new found friend to be a serving maid, because then he couldn't talk to her anymore. And that wouldn't do at all, now would it? (This is the part where I roll my eyes)...  
So, here I am, "Lady" Miyoko, living in the palace, in a room hand picked by the Emperor himself(and not far away from his own private chambers, I might add. ERGH!)eating strange, unpronouncable foods for breakfast, and putting on too much clothing and whore paint every morning.  
I sighed again and set to combing out my hair.  
It's a least a twenty minute job just to get the tangles out. Forty five to get it as smooth as I like it to be. However, once you brushed it out in the morning, it stays like that all day, so it was worth it.  
After this was done, I regarded it carefully for a moment, and then set to braiding.  
Now, let me tell you what other trouble this imperial friend of mine went to for me.  
He spent an entire evening of his free time picking out jewelry, hair ornaments, fine robes, gowns, belts, ribbons, laces, silk flowers, slippers, boots, cloaks, parasols, fans, purses and other various useless items he felt I'd need.  
I had absolutely no idea what to do with most of it. I mean, how many layers of clothing does one person need to be decent? In Konan, apparently, the answer to this question is always "Eighty or more".  
Back to the present, now. I put my hair into two braids: one high up on my head and the other just above it. I took the higher braid and wrapped it repeatedly around the base of the lower one and then pinned it in place with lots of these little teeny tiny little pins that hurt real bad when you accidently jabbed them into your scalp....  
I now turned to the vast expanse of little jars, bottles and boxes containing my cosmetics. Hotohori said I had to wear make up, or I'd just stand out too much, even though he agreed I looked more ridiculous with it on than off.  
Sigh.  
I powdered my skin just enough to hide the dark tan I'd developed from running free in the wind and sun all my life, and added just enough pink to my cheeks to make me look healthy again. I outlined my eyes thinly with black so they'd stand out a bit, and shaded them with a deep rosy brown. I painstakingly curled my lashes and slightly darkened my brows so they were the same black as my hair. At least I didn't have to tweeze anything. And these so-called 'educated' ladies of the court needed how many girls to do this for them? I was just a dumb peasent, and I figured it out in thirty mintues flat! Dumb peasent indeed!  
There were only two parts of the morning rituals I enjoyed.  
One was the lip color. I'm not talking the "I'm-a-whore" bright, cooked lobster red favored by most of the ladies of the court.   
I had concocted, by mixing a clear lip salve with some of my cheek and eye powders, a deep, blood, ruby wine red that I adored. I loved the way it made my lips look. I don't care what anybody says, I was taking the lips home with me!  
The other was the perfumed oil, which smelled like the field of wildflowers across from my old home.  
Now I went to my rather large closet and dug through for some semi-normal clothing amongst the gem-toned silks and brocades. Hotohori wasn't used to clothing short little girls like myself, so most of them were way too big and I would have to hem them up soon or be doomed to spend my days tripping on myself....  
Near the back I found a plain, deep brown silk robe whose only decoration was some flowers and vines embroidered in gold around all the outer hems. I threw on a simple linen gown, put an absolutly pointless sheer golden robe that did nothing but hang down over my hands in that maddeningly frustrating fashion these people favored, and stick up above the collar of my robe and tickle my neck over it. I put on the brown silk robe and put a deep green middle wrap over that, and tied the whole thing on with a simple woven belt that combined all three colors into a nice flowery design.  
I slipped on some of the more practical slippers of the whole useless lot of footwear and returned to the mirror.  
I burst out laughing.  
Now, let me explain, I am no beauty. I'm short. Yes, I know, most women are short, but I look up to even them! I just barely cleared Tashi's elbow, and he wasn't even all that tall for a man! Hotohori dwarfed me. I'm serious. I looked like a toddler next to him! Now add to that that I'm overly thin. People have called me slender, and I've laughed at them. Slender does not mean bony knees and elbows!  
And then there's my face. It's roundish, with a slightly pointed chin. My cheeks too round. My eyes are too big, and they're an odd color that looks like polished wood. I'd always wanted sharp black eyes like Tashi's. My lips are nice enough, curvy and full, but they're just a little too big for my face. My nose is the worst. It is short, for one thing, and too thin, and it sticks up kind of strangely at the end.  
Now add enhancing make up, and you see what you get?  
Yep, that's right. A perfect disaster in courtier's clothing.   
I was rummaging through my new jewelry, still chuckling about my appearance, when I suddenly remembered something.  
The note!  
I shuffled over to the table best as I could and groped for the note with my silk covered hands.  
I soon gave up, kicked off the slippers and rolled the sleeves up over my hands so I could actually use them. I untied the string carefully and unfolded the delicate parchment.  
Now, I wasn't from the gutter or anything, and my family had once had a comfortable amount of money, before Father died, and so I did have some education. However, I hadn't attempted to read anything other than the occaisional sign or bit of odd news in town Tashi and I ran into. Tashi didn't like to read. I'm not sure he even knows how, but he makes up for that in other ways. Tashi knows things books could never teach a person. The point is, I haven't read in a long, long time, and even before that, it was a struggle. I think maybe Hotohori took it for granted that not everyone in his empire was as educated as he was. Of course, how could he know otherwise? I didn't think it would be much fun to rule a country. Let alone be a kid and rule a country.  
I stared dumbly at the note, and it took a few minutes for the characters to take on any meaning.  
  
Lady Miyoko-  
Open your window and look down.  
~Hotohori  
  
Uh huh.  
I frowned. What kind of an order is that? Oh well. He was the Emperor, after all, so I guess I had to obey him. Not that I really think he'd actually do anything to me if I didn't, but, you know...play the game.  
I walked to the window and drew back the sheer curtains, pulling the latch and opening the windows wide. The was a very small veranda there, and I stepped out onto it and looked down.  
There was nothing there but a garden. The point of this embarrassing activity was...?  
I had to admit, the gardens were lovely. I loved flowers and plants, and they were everywhere, along with fish ponds and fountians and statues and winding little pebble paths. I smiled. He was right, it was a pretty view. What a nice way to start my day, even if the delivery was a bit strange...  
"Pssst! Miyoko! What were you doing in there? Building a new palace?"  
I frowned and looked around for the source of this phantom whisper. The whisperer sighed in exasperation.  
"Miyoko! Look down here!"  
I looked straight below my feet, and for the second time that morning, burst out laughing.  
Hotohori stood below me, dressed in the usual extravagant robes of an emperor.   
This, however, was not the funny part. The funny part was the fact that he had a long red blanket covering himself from head to foot, so that he had to peek out like an old Grandmother.  
"Your Majesty! What are you doing in that old bedsheet!?" I demanded, still laughing.  
"SHHH! Do you want me to get caught!?"  
Huh? I frowned in preplexity, still giggling incontrolably.  
"C'mon, Miyoko! We're playing hooky today!" Hotohori cried at last, tossing a golden brown piece of cloth up to me.  
"Put that on and meet me down here!"  
I sighed. Now what kind of foolishness was this? Why did he have to sneak out? I would imagine that the most powerful man in the empire would have the freedom to take a day off now and then...  
And why was he so cheerful? If there was one thing I had learned about my mysterious new friend, it was that getting the boy to crack a smile was a full time job. This can get very frustrating when you've grown up with the dry, tactful wit and humor of Suki Tadashi by your side. Hotohori was not a very carefree person, and certainly not "cheerful". Sometimes I doubted he even knew the word existed.  
I was pondering all this before I had another question. I went back out onto the small veranda.  
"Are we going into the city?" I asked the rumpled red pile of cloth below me.  
"Of course!"  
I sighed. He had a lot to learn about incognito!   
I quickly surveyed the veranda and discovered a convientent vine.  
"Your Majesty, can you climb up that vine?" I asked doubtfully. I didn't think that emperors got much physical training....  
He sighed in exaspertaion.  
"Of course I can, but w-"  
"Good. Than do it,"  
He complied, climbing up more swiftly and easily than I would've expected him to. He struck me as the type who wasn't allowed to lift a finger to work like that. I watched him like a hawk, lest he fall and break his royal neck and get me sent to the executioner's block. And wouldn't that be wonderful?  
Meanwhile, I was taking off my frivolous clothing with great pleasure.   
Hotohori turned bright red and spun swiftly to face the window.  
"What are you doing?" he demanded.  
"I'm getting ready for a day in the city, what else? You think common folk don't notice money when they see it? If you're going to sneak out, you have to do it right. And that means blending in!"  
He turned back to face me as I expertly tied the brown silk robe over my cream under dress with a simple woven green belt. I then put on the appropriate slippers I slipped in my bag before leaving home, and greatfully let down my hair, tiny gold pins showering everywhere and sounding little itty-bitty bells as they hit the marble floor below while I shook my head madly to undo the braids.  
"I never thought about that. Of course, I don't exactly own 'blending in' clothes....oh my, you have a lot of hair!"  
I grinned at him over my shoulder as I pulled it all into a single braid as I always had at home.  
"The clothing issue, your Majesty, we shall have to remedy. And soon if we're going anywhere today," I said, doubling the braid on itself and tying it firmly into place. I draped the golden brown cloth easily around myself like the simple cloaks I had so often wore at home, and turned to my closet.  
This was going to be no easy feat....I had now to dress an emperor from a wardrobe compiled of women's clothing....I thought of Hotohori dressed as a woman with his face painted and his hair piled up on his head, and one of his stupid little hats perched on top of it all. I laughed.  
"What?" He asked a little worriedly.  
"Oh, nothing," I replied, still giggling.  
I dug through the piles of robes and under garments before I gave up and faced the music. We'd have to work with the current ensemble.  
I turned to Hotohori.  
"Okay, your Majesty, get out of those monkey clothes,"  
His eyes widened and he looked at me in extreme shock and nervousness.  
"But I like this robe! It matches my eyes perfectly!"  
I might have known! I rolled my eyes and sighed, praying for patience.  
"Be as that may, you'll stick out like a beacon in those. Even members of the court wouldn't wear a robe like that in the city!"  
He sighed, removed his bedsheet, and grudgingly took off his multiple expensive garments. He carefully set an ornate sword and sheath on a nearby chair, and then he stood before me in a saffron silk robe that I could work with...maybe....  
The slippers were okay. Scarlet and made of silk, but okay. The pants gathered at his ankles were good. The color of dawn sunlight and patterned in gold, but passable. The socks were perfect. White. Plain. Excellent. I made a mental note to get him more clothing like that.  
I had never seen a robe like his, however. It did not tie, but rather was all one piece with a slightly high neck, under which showed a collar that matched his pants.  
I shook my head. The boy looked like a sunrise. Why did rich people insist on being visable from thirty miles away? Easier to aim at? I banished the thought.  
I turned back to his pile 'o clothes, and dug out a rust colored, sleeveless robe.  
Shaking my head, I crossed the robe over his chest and tied it into place with a yellow woven tie belt.  
I looked at him closely. The only thing amiss was the fact that his wrists were bandaged, but he obviously wasn't injured. I made another mental note to ask him about that charming new development later.  
"Better," I commented.  
Actually, he looked good. Far better than he did in the royal frippery, anyway, or at least I thought so. The slightly dull rust color suited him well(especially since the damage I had inflicted upon him that first night had healed very nicely indeed, leaving only a very, very tiny scar near the corner of his lip that was completely invisible unless you knew exactly where to look. He whined about it a lot).  
I grinned.  
Now, the hair....  
The jewel encrusted hat his hair was stuffed into just wouldn't do. Not only was it gaudy and ugly, ordinary people did not wear crowns.  
I told him so as I shoved him down into the seat before my dressing table and pulled the little pin in the hat. His hair tumbled down his back. I had forgotten the guy had that much hair.  
His reflection in the mirror grinned at me.  
"You know a lot about this, Lady Miyoko,"  
"I have years of experience, your Majesty,"  
He was about to say something as I grabbed his hair and frowned.  
I looked at it critically for a moment. Tashi's hair wasn't anywhere near as long, and he usually just wore his tied back, unless he was upset.  
I didn't really want to tie it back, because frankly, he has great hair.  
I compromised by pulling it back and braiding the very bottom length very loosely.  
I fastened this visiously with a peice of silk I tore quickly from my under gown, and tossed the braid over his shoulder.  
"OW! Watch it, Lady Miyoko! Hey...that looks good...!"  
I rolled my eyes and shook my head again, sighing. The worst part was, it did.  
I would have to work on this "self love" issue.  
I gathered up is half ton of discarded clothing and heaved it easily under the bed.  
"You're quite strong for such a small girl," he said appreiciativly, wrapping the sheet around himself in a style that imitated my own. I let him live with the "small" remark because he was trying to be nice and only because he was trying to be nice.  
"I've worked for my living since I was young, your Majesty. Of course I'm stronger than the women you've encountered,"  
He nodded, tying the sword back onto his belt.  
"Good point,"  
I eyed the sword skeptically.  
"Your Majesty, do you know how to use that thing?" I asked doubtfully.  
His only reply was a slight raise of the eyebrows as he grinned and turned to the window.  
"Are we finally ready, Lady Miyoko?"  
I nodded, and followed his lead.  
This was going to prove to be a very, very interesting day indeed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We made it off of the palace grounds without incident and soon found ourselves in the midst of all the dizzying activity of Eiyo.  
Hotohori was in pure, ecstatic bliss.  
It was so contagious.   
He insisted I call him Hotohori, because he said it might be a little suspicious if I ran around calling him "your majesty" all day. I agreed somewhat uncomfortably.  
We wandered around and gawked at all the sights: the jugglers and acrobats and the dancers;  
we applauded the musicians and bought food from the vendors who appreiciativly recieved the coins from Hotohori's purse. He refused to let me pay for anything. I sulked.  
I had forgotten my dagger, I noted with discomfort, but I figured a sword was the same basic principal as a dagger and would grab Hotohori's and protect him should the need arise.  
Gods, I hoped it wouldn't! It would look so strange, a little girl defending a giant of a man like him! Something would definitly seem odd, and if we were found out....  
Hotohori eventually scolded me for biting my nails and gave a joking command that I calm down, we were perfectly safe.  
After we had wandered for what seemed like hours and done nothing constructive, I set about compiling a small wardrobe of ordinary clothes for him, for somehow I just knew this outing would repeat itself in the future, and the next time, I did not want to be accompianied by a walking sunflower.   
I never met a man who liked to shop for clothes as much as this one did.  
There was much enthusiastic notes on color and cut on Hotohori's part, and much head shaking, sighing and eye-rolling on mine.  
It was late afternoon by the time we had finished these simple, pointless tasks.  
We were strolling through one of the less-busy streets of the town, and I felt my apprehension grow as I realized this was not the best part of town to be in without adequit protection.   
I chewed on a thumb nail and Hotohori scolded me again and vowed to break me of that habit if it was the last thing he did.  
I was too busy watching for the dangers I knew just had to be lurking somewhere....  
It was then that I saw the horse.  
We had approached a small stable, and apparently horses were sold here.  
I had ridden some in Tir Hoki, but always with Tashi or his friend Kozu nearby. Horses fascinated me, though, and I never passed up an oppurtunity to pet one's velvety soft nose and give it a friendly scratch, or a treat if I had one on me.  
This particular horse was slightly smaller than the others. It was dark-ish brown, with a jet black mane and a long tail. The only distinguishing mark on it was a small white star on its forehead that seemed to be in the shape of a child's spread-fingered hand print.  
Hotohori grinned as I petted the horse's nose and stroked its mane.  
"She's a good little horse," a new voice said from behind us, and we turned to see a man who appeared to be the owner of the stable.  
After while we walked on, browsing at the little shops and carts now and then.  
I was perusing a display of beaded necklaces when I realized my companion was no longer at my side.  
I cursed.  
I was in the process of looking around frantically and gnawing off another innocent finger nail when I finally spotted Hotohori.  
And I cursed again.  
He was coming up the street, looking immensly pleased with himself, strutting like he was all that and a bowl of rice (okay, so maybe he is, but that's not the point!), and holding the reins of my little brown mare, now fitted with an expensive saddle and the few bundles from our earlier shopping excursions.  
"Now you wait just a minute! Tell me you did not just buy this horse!" I demanded angerly, stomping up to him. Clothing was one thing, but a horse!?  
He grinned innocently down at me.  
"And what are you going to do if I tell you I did?"  
"I'm going to injure you greiviously!"  
He laughed outright.  
"You wouldn't dare. I already covered for you once, and I don't think the court will buy another 'the clumsy emperor fell down the stairs' bit!"  
I glared at him. I hated it when he was right! And he was always right!  
"You know, for someone as powerful as you, you're really dumb!"  
He laughed again.  
"You bought a horse? A horse! How much did you pay for this silly beast?" I demanded, even as I was hugging her protectivly around the neck.  
"Not enough. I got a good deal, for a horse as fine as this,"  
He continued on to prattle about obvious lines and this strong point and teeth and hooves until I was sure he had to have even less of an idea what he was talking about than I did.  
"I assume you paid outright for her?"  
"No, Miyoko, I traded five minutes of gazing on my good looks," he responded sarcastically, even though I wasn't completely sure he was joking. He lifted me easily and swung me onto the little mare, settling me into the saddle.  
"Your m--Hotohori! People don't just carry enough money to buy a horse and a saddle like this! It's dangerous! Especially around a part of town like this one! I don't even know what we're doing here!"  
"Oh, Miyoko, just relax. It's only a little horse. And nothing's going to happen to us!"  
I was about to repond when I was grabbed around the middle and hoisted roughly off the horse and against someone's chest. The wind was knocked out of me and I gasped, dazed for a moment as a dagger was held before me. I thought it best to be quiet...  
"Miyoko!" Hotohori yelled. A dozen other men emerged from the shadows.  
"Should've listened to her, pretty boy. Your baby sister knows her stuff!"  
Baby sister!? I growled low in my throat. I'd have kicked him in the shin if it wasn't for the dagger pressed uncomfortably close to my juggular. I reconized the voice above me as that of the stable man's. He had followed Hotohori. I hated being right! Gods, did I hate being right!  
Hotohori's jaw clenched and his hand tightened on the handle of his sword.  
I moaned. Grand! All that stood between us and being mugged by a bunch of thugs was an untrained emperor and a decorative sword! We were doomed!  
"What do you want?" Hotohori asked in a calm voice that never betrayed the fury in his eyes.  
"Your money. The horse. Whatever's in those packages, and the girl," my attacker said, and the others surrounded us, anticipating a struggle, weapons raised.  
"Give them what they want, Hotohori," I murmured in a strained voice. I'd rather be sold into some brothel than be responsible to anything happening to the exquisite emperor before me.  
"You'd better listen to the little girl. She's a smart one," the man hissed.  
"Just do what they say, Hotohori," I gasped again, becoming irritated with the whole "little girl" deal.  
He sighed, and looked crushed.  
"You're right, Miyoko, I'm defenseless. I have no choice but to give in," he said, sighing tragically and tossing his purse at the feet of my captor, the assumed leader.  
"Take everything," he said bitterly, pushing past one of the men and walking down the street in complete dejection.  
"Well, he's the smartest we've encountered yet," the leader said, putting me back on the horse and picking up the purse at his feet.  
The other men agreed and we set off in a pack outside the city.  
I was in shock. One moment, I was living like a queen in a palace, and the next, given up to slavers by my only friend in Konan.  
I was in a great, turmulting mixture of sadness and joy.  
I was glad Hotohori had the sense to not risk his royal neck over a nobody like me, and had just backed down when he knew he was beaten. But a part of me had wanted him to fight for me, and even though it would've been foolish to risk himself, I couldn't help but be a little dissapointed.  
I turned back once to look at the palace as we neared the outskirts of the city.  
Tears filled my eyes. How would I ever get home now? I'd have to get ahold of Tashi somehow, I thought, blinking away the tears. He'd come and get me, I knew.  
The party stopped temporarily under a tree to rest and light torches. Water was distributed, but none was offered to me. I stared at the mane of the horse I was perched upon.  
I was just plotting exactly how to dispatch a correspondance to Tashi when I was lifted swiftly out of the saddle and into the branches of the tree above.  
I was about to scream when I reconized the grim, upside-down face regarding me in the dim twilight and shadowy branches.  
"Hotohori!" I gasped as he trapped me in a rib-cracking embrace.  
"Are you alright, Miyoko? Are you hurt?" He whispered, ashen-faced and nearly frantic.  
"No, no, I'm fine. How did you find me?"  
Some color creeped back into his cheeks, and I was relieved.  
"I started following the second they put you on the mare. I wasn't about to let you go that easily! I followed for hours. I thought they saw me once. I was a little hard to miss. That's when I changed clothes,"  
Only then did I realized he was now clad in grey from head to toe. And, as usual, he looked fantastic. Leave it to Hotohori to look fantastic while stalking thieves! I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and sigh again.  
I noticed the party was just starting to move on again, and no one had noticed my absence.   
Good riddance!  
Hotohori set me firmly between two branches and swung silently out of the tree and to the ground.  
"And just where are you going?" I called in a whisper after him.  
He grinned rather devilishly.  
"To get my horse back," he whispered over his shoulder as he swept away in long strides.  
I cursed as I tried to slip myself out of the branches and climb out of the tree without murdering myself. Someone had to stop that lunatic before he got himself killed!  
"Excuse me, good sirs!" Hotohori called out to the men ahead of me.  
I cursed again.  
"You again! What have you come back for!" The stable man-leader cried.  
"I seem to have lost my little sister. Have you seen her?" Hotohori continued, polite yet condenscending as before.  
My dress ripped in my haste as I flailed throught the branches.  
"Your sister?" the leader spat in disgust.  
"Yes, she's kind of short, has really long dark hair, brown eyes, brown robe---"  
There was an interruption as I swung out of the branches of the tree and hung cursing by my belt on a branch. The robbers looked completely confused.  
"Looks like her," Hotohori finished, jerking a thumb back at my helpless form.  
The leader turned back to the mare and her emtpy saddle, and it was his turn to curse vehemently. He turned back to Hotohori, and let me tell you, he was not a happy man.  
I was now struggling to unhook my belt from a branch so I could bail my friend's dumb ass out before he got scewered like a pig roast.  
I had just given up and ripped the belt loose as I flopped down and hung from the lowest branch, arms outstretched and hands hurting, and beheld an amazing sight. My jaw dropped.  
My pampered imperial friend was mopping the dirt road with those thugs! I had never in my life seen anyone handle a sword like that, except for maybe Tashi. Tashi's strength was in his speed and agility. Hotohori's was in his grace and presicion, even though he was fast, as well. Hothori did not just work with the sword, however, he was equally as impressive hand to hand, and I began to have my suspicions about those seemingly useless wrist-wraps.  
Most of the robbers didn't even have time to draw their weapons before they were unconcious on the ground. Finally, Hotohori and the leader were the only ones left standing.  
"You rich bastard!" The leader cried in shock, anger, and obvious fear.  
"You stupid idiot," was Hotohori's only response as he easily konked the leader upside his head and watched as he sank to the ground. Hotohori arched an eyebrow and sighed lightly.  
He then wiped the small amount of blood off his sword from the minor cuts and scratches he'd inflicted and replaced his sword in its sheath. He then bent, took his purse, gathered our scattered packages, and swung up on the patiently waiting mare.  
I was still hanging in shock from the tree.  
He rode casually under me, reached up, plucked me from the branch, set me in front of him, and together we began riding back into Eiyo.  
"You never told me you knew how to fight!" I accused. He grinned.  
"You never asked! And besides, I doubt you would've believed me!"  
Well, he had me there.  
"Where did you learn how to do that?" I asked.  
"I've had lessons form the greatest masters since I was very, very young. My parents didn't care, and it gave me something to do. I was the youngest son, and it didn't seem very likely I'd ever get the throne. My mother had other ideas, however....and here I am, an emperor who knows how to use a sword. Go figure."  
"Oh," was the only reply I could form. Glimpses into Hotohori's past were few and far between.  
We were quiet.  
"Did you kill them?" I asked in a tiny whisper.  
"You were unharmed, so there was no cause for that. They'll probably only be bruised and sore when they come to. Bruised, sore, and hopefully scarred."  
I nodded.  
"So, what are you going to name your new horse?" He asked teasingly.  
I turned and grinned up at him, and he grinned down at me, and we rode in silence the rest of the way to the palace grounds.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
By the time we reached the palace it was nearing midnight. We rode straight up to my bedroom window and Hotohohori lifted me off the mare, whom I had decided to call Hani.  
"I had fun today, Miyoko," he said, grinning. "More fun than I've had in a very long time."  
"I had fun too. But you have to promise me one thing,"  
"What?"  
"You have to teach me how to use a sword like that!"  
He laughed and swung back up onto Hani.   
"I'm going to take her to the stables. We'll see about swordplay tomorrow,"  
I climbed swiftly up the vine and into my open window.  
"Goodnight, Miyoko," he called softly.  
"Goodnight, Horichan," I called back just as softly.  
He grinned at his new nickname and rode quietly off.  
I went into my room, shut the window behind me, pulled off my torn gown, and sank into a chair. It had been a long, interesting, frightening, fun and fufilling day, I noted as I sighed contentedly, happy for the first time since leaving Tir Hoki. The only thing wrong was that I still missed Mother and Tashi and Mother Suki.  
I noted Horichan's ugly little box hat sitting on my dressing table. I refused to sleep in the same room with one of those things. I might get nightmares from looking at it! I was exhausted, but I roused my energy and climbed to my feet, walked over to the table and picked up the horrible little bejeweled thing. Gods, how I hated those hats! And he had hundreds of them, it seemed! I couldn't even remember how many I'd destroyed or hidden since my arrival, but they just seemed to keep coming and coming and coming!  
I went to the window, opened it, climbed down, and lifted a good size rock from the garden.  
I walked a short ways to a nearby lily pond, put the rock in the awful peice of millnary, dropped it into the water, and watched it sink to the muddy bottom.  
Then I went back into my room, let my hair down, and climbed into bed.  
It was that day that I knew Hotohori was a true friend, wacky as he got at times.  
We had forged a bond of some sort that day, and I knew, I just knew, we were stuck with each other for life. This worried me, though. What was I going to do when I went home? I'd miss him horribly, but it was a small price to pay to be with my family again.  
I thought of his box hat at the bottom of the pond, in the mud and muck with the fish, and a little smile spread across my face as I drifted to sleep.  



	4. In which an unexpected visitor arrives

CHAPTER Four: In which an unexpected visitor arrives   
  
  
  
  
It was hot. Gods, was it hot.  
It was one of those hot, dry, drowsy days where time just crawls by and nothing interests you. There was no wind. There were no clouds. Even the shade was sweltering.   
The usually cool, airy palace was stuffy and unbearable. I was driven outside to the gardens, but even the cool shade of the ponds and trees were no help.  
Hotohori was trapped inside, listening to his advisors argue with his other advisors over some stupid new crop that could bring in profits, but no farmers seemed to want to plant.  
Last I had seen, Hotohori was inconspicuously taking a catnap on the throne.  
I pitied him today.  
Because I had been with him originally this morning, I was trapped in my whore paint and clown costume ensemble. Dear Gods, I hate the way these rich people dressed!  
I sat wearily on the steps and sighed.   
Suddenly, something caught my attention. There were two men standing in the courtyard. One was middle-aged, balding, and finely dressed. After a few moments of wracking my brain for his name, I reconized him as Ambassador Shonchi, who was an ambassador to Kutô.  
The other was shorter, obviously from my social class, definitely younger, and definitely dirtier. It was this one who held my interest, because something about the way his hair was tied back, the manner in which he stood, and the way he held the reins of the nearby horse all seemed shockingly familiar. I stood and began to walk closer, as the ambassador pointed to Kin Chi's older sister, Anako, who was carrying water from the well to off somewhere in the palace. The dirty boy shook his head, and spoke to Ambassador Shonchi again.  
Now I was nearer, and managed to catch some of the conversation.  
"--REALLY short, like two feet tall. You might not even see her unless you tripped over her or something,"  
Ambassador Shonchi smiled and nodded in understanding, and then pointed to me. Just as the young man was about to turn around and look, I cracked him over the head with my fan, and he fell to the ground, rolled over, and squinted up at me.  
"I'm right here, baka," I growled, grinning.  
I knew now why the young man had seemed so familiar. It also made sense that he was so dusty, because he had just ridden here from Tir Hoki. I hid my overwhelming excitement the best I could.  
"Now get up, Suki," I said, nudging him with my toe.  
He grinned and stood up, dusting himself off as he did. He was still way taller than me.  
Gods, how I had missed my Tadashi!  
He was talking about something when suddenly he gasped in horror.  
"What?" I demanded in fear, turning around and praying Hotohori was still napping in the throne room.  
Hotohori was thankfully no where to be seen. So what was Tashi so worked up over?  
"You...you..." he stuttered.  
"What? What!?" I demanded again.  
"YOU LOOK LIKE A DUCK!" He cried, doubling over with laughter at his own cleverness.  
"You look like a field mouse with a New Year's dragon costume on!" he mumbled between hoots of hysterical laughter, adding insult to injury.  
I was not amused. I decked him again, then put my hands on my hips and glared my best.  
"Gods, Miyoko! That's my head there!" he cried teasingly.  
"Not like you're using it!" I retorted, smiling again.  
"Miyoko," a new voice said softly from behind me.  
My heart leaped into my throat and I almost choked as Tashi stopped laughing. I prayed he didn't have Betsey, his silver katana on him at the moment(although why anyone would name a sword "Betsey" was beyond me!), but of course, he did.   
I bit my lip. I had a very bad feeling about this....  
Tashi stood glaring as Hotohori put his arm around my shoulders and was saying something about me beating up his guests. I continued biting my lip and resisted the urge to go for a fingernail. Tadashi Suki was no guest Horichan would want in his palace!  
Then suddenly, Horichan noticed Tashi.  
I began to pray silently to all the Gods I'd ever heard of.  
"Who are you?" he demanded quietly, his cheerful mood gone. I realized with a start that he had his sword, too.  
Oh, good Gods....  
"Your majesty," I said, bowing because Ambassador Shonchi was present, even though he was smelling the dirt right now....Tashi glared at me and I glared right back.  
"Um...this is my.... best friend from Tir Hoki, Tadashi. Tashi, this is Hotohori.... the EMPEROR,"  
I elbowed Tashi as a signal to leave Betsey in her place. I prayed he would understand. He just glared at me again, so I glared back...again. Then I held my breath as Horichan said something to Tashi.  
Tashi said something rough in reply and Hotohori grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.   
"That's Tadashi Suki? Your sweet little Tashi? You played dolls with that guy!? He looks like he eats spear heads for breakfast! He looks like he wants to kill me!" Horichan whispered nervously, his head close to mine. Tashi was pretending to look with great interest around the courtyard, although I knew he was really listening to every word Hotohori and I said.  
"He probably does," I replied offhandedly as Hotohori jumped and looked over his shoulder at Tashi.  
"Is he here to take you back to Tir Hoki?"  
"Why else would he be here? He hates royalty!" I said, unable to mask my joy at the thought of going home. Horichan looked very upset.  
"Well...I mean...since you're going home...with our bet...you want him to stay here?"  
"Oh, Horichan! That was just a dumb joke! And he'd only be staying here for the night. I'll keep him in my room. I'll say he's my brother. Relax!"  
Hotohori still looked upset.  
"Will he kill me if he stays here?"  
"If he has the chance, probably. But he won't get the chance. I won't let him,"  
He snuck another glance at Tashi, who was examining the sharpness of Betsey's edge.  
"If you say so," he muttered as I turned back to Tashi, who quickly put Betsey away.  
"I'm afraid I have duties to attend to. It was my pleasure to meet you at last, Suki Tadashi," Hotohori said sarcastically. I wish I could smack that boy without getting myself beheaded!  
Tashi's hand was still resting on Betsey, and I gave him the infamous "Loki-look-of-death" that I'd inherited from my mother. Tashi was eyeing daggers at me, but to my surprise, he put his hands together and made a short, graceful bow to Hothori. My eyebrow went up. Was this some kind of sick joke?  
Hotohori was quick to notice that Tashi was uncomfortable, and gave me a smug little smile as he turned and strutted off the best his awful boat-like shoes would let him.  
I breathed a sigh of relief.  
I watched Hotohori as he walked away, lest Tashi nail him in the back. Then I grabbed my childhood friend's arm and dragged him up the palace steps with me.  
Then I decked him.  
"OW! Gees, Miyoko! Quit hitting me! It actually hurts now!"   
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" I demanded.  
"Me!?"  
"You don't see any other thick skulled imbeciles around, do you?"  
Tashi turned back to look at Ambassador Shonchi, who was still bowing even though Horichan was long gone and probably back in the throne room by now. Tashi raised and eyebrow, but said nothing.  
"Gods, Tashi! What were you thinking? I mean, were you thinking? He's the ruler of Konan. Konan is an empire, and that would make Hotohori the EMPEROR! I mean, I know you hate royalty and all, but that doesn't mean you can just waltz in here looking like crap--and smelling like it too, I might add--and insult him to his face! DO THAT BEHIND HIS BACK!"  
Tashi's face was a perfect mask of ice.  
"And what about you!" He demanded.  
"What about me? I live here! I'm supposed to be here!"  
"Yeah, you, here, living in a palace, trussed up like a pig, playing footsie with the emperor, while your mother is at home dying in a hovel!"  
"I never---" I started, but whatever snappy comeback I'd had had suddenly left my mind.  
"What?" I whispered, looking fearfully up at him, praying I'd misheard.  
Tashi looked down, and all the anger visibly left his face. He sighed, and when he looked back at me all his usual cocky-ness was not there, and an old, tired stranger stood in his place.  
"That's what I came here for. Your mother, she's... she isn't going to get better, Miyoko. She wanted to see you---"  
All his words faded and blured as my eyes filled with tears. How could Mother be dying? When had she gotten that sick? My Mother...she was dying?  
I collapsed into Tashi's arms and sobbed.  
How could this be happening? All these months, I had waited, I had hoped, and I had prayed that soon I'd be called for so I could go home. Now that time had finally come. This was supposed to be a happy moment! Instead it was terrible. Mother's smiling face flashed before my eyes. Tashi was murmuring some sort of comforting words at me until I was calm.  
Tashi hooked his finger under my chin and made me look up at him. His eyes were filled with tears as I wiped mine away.   
"There's not much time. Get what you need, and we leave as soon as possible,"  
I nodded numbly again, then took his arm and led him into the palace.  
  
  
  
  
  
It was getting dark fast. I was exhausted.  
I had spent an hour and a half trying to get Tashi to take a bath. After that was done, I made him put on clean clothing. Unfortunately, the only thing I had that fitted him was a flowing fuscia night robe embroidered with pale pink flowers and lavender peacocks.   
Tashi was not happy.  
He was obviously beat, though, because he put the robe on with minimal arguing and glaring.  
At the moment, Tashi was passed out in his fuscia robe on the carpet beside my bed. Poor guy fell asleep just as he was pulling back the covers. I tucked a pillow under his bed and covered him with a blanket. I dimmed the lamp and walked to the door, glancing back on him for a moment to make sure he was asleep. Of course, with Tashi, you could never really be certain.  
I left to find Hotohori.  
Horichan was in one of his counsel rooms with two advisors. They were talking about relations with Kutô, which meant it was not a good time to interrupt.  
Hotohori noticed me in the doorway, though, and seemed to welcome the distraction.  
His eyes twinkled mischieviously as the two advisors bowed politely and greeted me.  
"So you are going back to Tir Hoki, Lady Miyoko?" Hotohori stated in a very melodramatic voice.  
"Yes, your Majesty," I replied, trying to figure out what he was up to now.  
He sighed deeply and turned to stare out the window.  
"So you will simply leave, is that it? After everything Konan has done for you?"  
"Your Majesty...I-I.....I never...I'm not...wha--?"  
"What am I to do about the wedding, Miyoko?" he interrupted me.  
I almost grinned. I knew what he was up to, now. It was an old game we called "Scare the advisors senseless". It was not the first time we had done this, and yet they never seemed to catch on....  
"I do not know, your Majesty," I whispered, also melodramatic.  
"What am I going to do without you by my side? Who will be Konan's Empress?"  
"I'm sorry, your Majesty, I must return to Tir Hoki. We both knew this day would come,"  
"It wouldn't have if you had married me two months ago like I'd wanted to," he muttered.  
It was getting too hard not to laugh. One of the advisors had sunk to the floor in a dead faint, and the other was dangerously pale.  
"I'm sorry, your Majesty, but my mother believes there is better for me. You will heal, you will go on, and you will find someone far better than the likes of me," I sighed, looking at the floor and biting my lip to keep from laughing.  
Hothohori walked towards me and put his hand on my cheek, leaning towards me as if he would kiss me. We were both struggling not to laugh. The remaining advisor swayed dangerously and grabbed a chair back to regain his balance.  
"I just don't understand, Lady Miyoko. Most mothers would be thrilled to have a beautiful emperor for a son-in-law,"  
"Mother Michi is smarter than most mothers," a new voice growled behind me.  
The other advisor turned to the doorway, squeaked, and passed out, his legs straight up in the air.  
"T-T-Tashi!" I gasped, spinning quickly to face the hot pink-clad figure in the doorway. Betsey was out and gleamed in the lamplight, and Tashi looked hungry for blood.  
I swallowed nervously and stepped back quickly. Hotohori had his hand on his sword.  
"Tashi! This isn't what you think! I swear to the Gods! It's only a--"  
"I don't care if you're the Emperor of Konan. Keep your hands off Miyoko," Tashi whispered, staring straight past me to Hothohori, his voice ominiously low.  
"Tashi! I--we--It was only a joke!" I cried, beginning to panic. Oh, this was not good....  
He turned to me.  
"Stay out of this, Miyoko. I'll deal with you later,"  
"If you harm her in any way, you will live to regret the day you were born," Horichan threatened, his voice just as low and just as ominous.  
Tashi grabbed my arm and pulled me farther away from Hotohori.  
I resisted the urge to cover my face with my hands. My two best friends stood facing each other in the middle of the imperial council room, one in full royal attire and the other in a woman's night dress, both with swords, both angry, and both an equal danger to the other.  
"Tashi! Stop it!" I cried, grabbing his arm and trying to pull Betsey away from him.  
He shook me easily off, and then he ignored me.  
"What do you see in Miyoko? A few good laughs? Bringing her here, dressing her up like a doll....what are you going to do when you're done with her? Dump her back out to the life she came from?"  
"Tashi!" I cried again.  
"I would never hurt Miyoko. You were the one who didn't want her around! You were the one who sent her to me!"  
"Hotohori!" I gasped. I was ignored again.  
Tashi's face was darkening with each passing second. This was going to get very ugly very soon if I didn't do something fast!  
"We never sent her to you,"  
"And now you've come to take her back to her old life?"  
"She'd rather be there than here!"  
"Is that so?"  
"She's loved there!"  
"She's loved here, too!"  
"It was a stupid joke!" I screamed, grabbing the sides of my face. I was ignored. Again.  
"Really? So how many times have you slept with her? Is she any good?"  
I didn't even have time to slap Tashi for that crude remark.  
"You son of a---" Hotohori hissed low under his breath.  
All I saw was a blur of metal and scarlet as Hotohori drew his sword and swung at Tashi. Tashi blocked just in time, and the next thing I knew there were swords flashing, furniture shattering, and tapestries being shredded everywhere I turned.  
I ducked out of the way and cowered in a corner, screamimg at them to stop fighting.  
This was getting out of hand! I had to do something before someone was killed!  
Luckily, Hotohori 's movement was hampered by his layers of proper clothing, and Tashi thankfully was not used to wearing a woman's robe. I think these were the only reasons they weren't both dead already. I dodged a vase that flew my way.  
After one particulary accurate, narrowly missed swing on Tashi's part, I forgot all fear and charged into the fray.  
"Stop it! Hotohori! Tadashi! Stop it!"  
I don't remember which one caught my arm, but I cried out as I was thrown to the ground.  
"MIYOKO!" The men cried at once.  
"You hit her!" Hotohori bellowed.  
"Don't throw your blame on me!" Tashi yelled right back.  
The fighting began again, more reckless than ever.  
I clutched my wounded arm and dragged myself up.   
"Oh my Gods! You men are hopeless!" I muttered.  
Tashi dove, catching Horichan high in the chest, which caused Horichan to swing a retaliating blow that sliced Tashi's cheek open.  
I grabbed a scroll off the table and lept between them, swinging wildly. I didn't stop until Hotohori was leaning against a wall panting and Tashi was leaning on one arm on the table, also panting.  
"What has gotten into you two!?" I yelled, dropping my roll of parchment and grabbing Betsey from Tashi before he could swing again.  
"He called you a whore!" Horichan replied, glaring at Tashi.  
"He was trying to steal you!" Tashi returned, glaring right back.  
"I never tried to steal her!"  
"You did to! You said---"  
"Enough!" I bellowed, and they went silent, staring sukily at the ground. I looked heavenward for patience. Good Gods, did I need patience......  
"You two almost killed each other over a stupid joke! Now, put your swords away and come on. We're going to Hotohori's chambers and I'm cleaning you two up. You two boys will just have to suck it up and hate each other in silence. Is that understood?"  
They glared at each other. I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot. Silence.  
"We are not leaving this room until you two agree to stop fighting!" I warned. They just went right on glaring.  
"Fine, unless you two agree to stop fighting tonight. Here, put that away," I said, handing Betsey to Tashi.  
Nothing.  
I treated them to a death glare.  
"Fine,"  
"If I have to,"  
They both muttered a few other choice things about the other under their breath, but they finally put their swords back into their sheaths.  
  
  
  
  
Niether wound was deep, I noted with relief.  
I had already bandaged up Tashi, because Hotohori insisted I care for him first. Tashi was too busy strategically plotting Hohohori's demise to object. Once he had been cleaned, bandaged, and sent back to bed, I turned to Hotohori. Tashi's may have been deeper, but Horichan's wound worried me more.  
Horichan sat before me in a chair clad in nothing but a pair of pants and socks.  
I was examining his cut.  
It wasn't as bad as I thought. It was closer to his shoulder than his chest, and while it was realitivly deep, it would heal without scarring. His ego would be thrilled.  
I had just finished washing the blood away when I noticed something on his neck. Another wound? Upon closer inspection I discovered it was a symbol of some sort. It looked like the astrological symbol for the water snake, but I wasn't quite sure.  
"Hotohori, what is this?" I asked, frowning. Whatever it was, it definitely looked unhealthy.  
He turned his head slightly and put his fingertips near the little symbol.  
"This? It's my seishi symbol," he said offhandedly.  
"Ooh kay....and that means what to me....?"  
He smiled.   
"Every man, woman, and child in Konan knows about the legend of Suzaku,"  
I sighed in exasperation and reached for the ointment. Suzaku....the name sounded vaguely familiar, but I was unfamiliar with the folklore of Konan. Ask me something about Tir Hoki, on the other hand.....I sighed again.  
"Hello? Earth to the Emperor! I'm not from Konan! All I know about Konan is their ruler is a complete headcase!"  
"That may be, but I hear he's also amazingly beautiful," Hotohori teased. I rolled my eyes.  
"So, who is this Suzaku character?" I asked, dabbing carefully at the slice Tashi had taken out of his skin.  
"The god that Konan prays to. Suzaku is our protector. OW! That stings!"  
"Good. That means it's working." I reached for a roll of bandages.  
Horichan frowned for a few more minutes while I finished wrapping him up. I was thinking all the while about this Suzaku, and this seishi symbol, and what all this exactly meant for Hotohori.   
I had absolutely no idea.  
"So I take it Suzaku is that chicken you have a shrine to?"  
"PHOENIX! Suzaku is a PHOENIX!"  
"Sorry! Gees! Talk about touchy!"  
He laughed a little despite himself, stood and put a new robe on.  
"That's okay. Just don't call my god a chicken,"  
"Some people worship chickens,"  
"Well we don't,"  
"Yeah, you worship a chicken that catches fire every few years and rises from the ashes as a new, totally different chicken!"  
"MIYOKO!"  
"Agk! I'm sorry! I can't help it!"  
"Suzaku is not a chicken!"  
"Fine, fine. Suzaku is not a chicken. Don't feel bad. We worship a guy with a winged dragon carved in his back,"  
"Dragon? Did you say dragon?"  
"Yeah. Why?"  
"Tir Hoki isn't in Kotû, is it?"  
I rolled my eyes.  
"Would I have ever made it into the palace if it was?"  
"No... but it' s just that Kotû worships Seiryu, the dragon. And Kotû doesn't like us very much,"  
"Why not?"  
He shrugged. "It's always been that way, for as long as anyone can remember,"  
"What's the matter?" I teased. "Is Kotû jealous because Konan is prettier than them?"  
Hotohori flipped some hair over his shoulder and sniffed.  
"We are much prettier than they are!"  
I buried my face in my hands.  
"That was a joke, Horichan!" I muttered.  
"I know. I just like making your face turn all those neat colors,"  
"HOTOHORI!"  
He laughed at me and patted his bandage.  
"Thanks, Miyoko. What would I do without you?"  
"You'd make friends with your mirror,"  
"Oh, Miyoko, you're so silly. I did that a long time ago,"  
"ACK!"  
He started laughing again.  
"Well, I'm glad you think it's funny!" I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted.  
He shook his head, his cheerful demeanor fading. He sat down next to me.  
"I mean it, Miyoko. I'm really going to miss you,"  
I sighed.  
"I'm going to miss you too, Horichan, but this is for the best. I don't belong in a palace, and my mother needs me at home, now. She's dying, Hotohori. She's dying and I have to see her before....you understand, don't you?"   
He nodded. "That doesn't mean I like it. I'm sorry about your mother, but I'm afraid I'm a little selfish. You're my only excuse for having fun,"  
I smiled softly.  
"Don't worry, Horichan. I'll come back someday,"  
He hugged me suddenly.  
"I know you will. No matter what you say, you love it here in Konan. You won't stay away for too long. You'd be a liar if you said you didn't love it here."  
I nodded. He had me there. I grinned.  
"Yeah, and I'll bring you a present from back home,"  
He sat back and smiled.  
"A present? Believe it or not, I don't get many presents,"  
I raised a brow.  
"I don't! Honest! The best present I ever got was from you,"  
I paused. I didn't remember giving him any gifts!  
"And what is that?" I asked suspiciously.  
He smiled faintly and pointed to the tiny scar near the corner of his lip.  
"This. It means someone cares about me,"  
My eyes filled with tears as I smiled.  
"Oh, Horichan...."  
He held up his hand to stop whatever it is I was going to say.  
"You'd better get to bed, Miyoko. You have a long journey ahead of you,"  
I nodded, blinking rapidly. I refused to cry in front of him. Mother needed me.  
I had to go. I stood up and walked to the door.  
"Miyoko...?"  
I turned.  
"Yeah?"  
"Give you mother my greetings,"  
I grinned.  
"She'll like that, Horichan. Goodnight,"  
"Goodnight,"  
I walked out the door and started down the hallway, tracing my hand along the familiar moldings and tapestries, commiting them to memory so I could tell Mother and Mother Suki all about them when I got home.  
I was about to open the door to my bedroom when I heard the sound of footsteps running behind me. I turned, half ready to leap and attack, and sighed with relief to see it was only Hotohori.  
"Miyoko!"  
"Hotohori! What are you doing?"  
"I have to know! What kind of present will you bring me?"  
I laughed a little to myself as I opened my door and stepped inside.  
"A chicken!"  
And with that, I shut the door.  



End file.
